Citizen Complaints GO 211

Policy and Procedure

• The Escambia County Sheriff's Office (ECSO) addresses all complaints concerning job performance and/or conduct of its members with utmost urgency.
• The ECSO takes receipt of, documents, reviews, inquires, or investigates all complaints of misconduct by its members in accordance with Florida Statutes.

Complaint Receipt Procedures

• All members of the ECSO immediately forward citizen complaints, formal complaints, and substantive complaints to the OIC or designee of the Internal Affairs Unit for recording and review.
• The ECSO maintains the confidentiality of citizen complaint files in accordance with Florida Statutes.
• Supervisors attempt to resolve citizen complaints that result from a misunderstanding of law or procedure, and if resolved, these type of citizen complaints do not require documentation.

Complaint Initiation and Documentation

• A member's supervisor may initiate a complaint of misconduct.
• Complaints initiated by other members are documented on a memorandum and immediately forwarded through the chain of command to the OIC or designee of the Internal Affairs Unit.
• The supervisor completes a formal report on all complaints other than Citizen Inquiries and forwards them to the Internal Affairs Unit via the Blue Team.

Complaint Recording and Numbering

• Citizen complaints are assigned numbers starting with "C" followed by the year and chronological number (e.g., C2010-001).
• Internal Affairs cases are assigned numbers starting with "I" followed by the year and chronological number (e.g., I2010-001).
• If a Citizen Complaint changes into an Internal Affairs investigation, the case is logged using the original assigned number.

Complaint Information Maintenance

• All complaint information is securely maintained in the Blue Team and/or I.A.Pro programs.
• All paper records are securely maintained in the Internal Affairs office upon completion of the investigation.

Formal Complaints and Written Reports

• All formal and/or substantive complaints of member misconduct or wrongdoing are reported and documented in writing, utilizing the ECSO Statement of Complaint form.
• Exceptions: If the allegation is substantive and the complainant refuses to provide a sworn statement, the supervisor reduces the allegation to writing and forwards it to the OIC or designee of the Internal Affairs Unit.

Definitions

• Citizen Inquiry: An inquiry by a citizen to determine if the actions taken by a member were proper.
• Criminal Complaint: Allegations of criminal conduct on the part of an employee, whether job-related or not.
• Direct Support Personnel: All members excluding officers.
• Formal Complaint: An accusation or charge accusing a member of the Sheriff's Office of violating a policy, procedure, rule, or regulation.
• Informal Complaint: A complaint of employee misconduct where there is not a formal statement sworn to under oath and does not require a formal investigation.
• Member: All personnel appointed by and under the jurisdiction of the Sheriff, either in the classified or unclassified service.
• Minor Complaint: Allegations that, if sustained, are a minor breach of agency policy/procedures which will be left to the employee's supervisor to investigate and determine what action is appropriate.
• Misconduct: Any action or conduct that is in violation of Escambia County Sheriff's Office Rules and Regulations.
• Officer: All law enforcement deputies appointed and commissioned by the Sheriff.
• Preliminary Investigation: An investigation of a complaint that alleges employee misconduct or wrongdoing, which has been received by a supervisor.
• Substantive Complaint: Allegations that, if sustained, are a major breach in agency policy/procedures which will be reduced to writing and forwarded through the chain of command for a determination on a course of action.

Policy and Procedure

• The Escambia County Sheriff's Office (ECSO) addresses all complaints concerning job performance and/or conduct of its members with utmost urgency.
• The ECSO takes receipt of, documents, reviews, inquires, or investigates all complaints of misconduct by its members in accordance with Florida Statutes.

Complaint Receipt Procedures

• All members of the ECSO immediately forward citizen complaints, formal complaints, and substantive complaints to the OIC or designee of the Internal Affairs Unit for recording and review.
• The ECSO maintains the confidentiality of citizen complaint files in accordance with Florida Statutes.
• Supervisors attempt to resolve citizen complaints that result from a misunderstanding of law or procedure, and if resolved, these type of citizen complaints do not require documentation.

Complaint Initiation and Documentation

• A member's supervisor may initiate a complaint of misconduct.
• Complaints initiated by other members are documented on a memorandum and immediately forwarded through the chain of command to the OIC or designee of the Internal Affairs Unit.
• The supervisor completes a formal report on all complaints other than Citizen Inquiries and forwards them to the Internal Affairs Unit via the Blue Team.

Complaint Recording and Numbering

• Citizen complaints are assigned numbers starting with "C" followed by the year and chronological number (e.g., C2010-001).
• Internal Affairs cases are assigned numbers starting with "I" followed by the year and chronological number (e.g., I2010-001).
• If a Citizen Complaint changes into an Internal Affairs investigation, the case is logged using the original assigned number.

Complaint Information Maintenance

• All complaint information is securely maintained in the Blue Team and/or I.A.Pro programs.
• All paper records are securely maintained in the Internal Affairs office upon completion of the investigation.

Formal Complaints and Written Reports

• All formal and/or substantive complaints of member misconduct or wrongdoing are reported and documented in writing, utilizing the ECSO Statement of Complaint form.
• Exceptions: If the allegation is substantive and the complainant refuses to provide a sworn statement, the supervisor reduces the allegation to writing and forwards it to the OIC or designee of the Internal Affairs Unit.

Definitions

• Citizen Inquiry: An inquiry by a citizen to determine if the actions taken by a member were proper.
• Criminal Complaint: Allegations of criminal conduct on the part of an employee, whether job-related or not.
• Direct Support Personnel: All members excluding officers.
• Formal Complaint: An accusation or charge accusing a member of the Sheriff's Office of violating a policy, procedure, rule, or regulation.
• Informal Complaint: A complaint of employee misconduct where there is not a formal statement sworn to under oath and does not require a formal investigation.
• Member: All personnel appointed by and under the jurisdiction of the Sheriff, either in the classified or unclassified service.
• Minor Complaint: Allegations that, if sustained, are a minor breach of agency policy/procedures which will be left to the employee's supervisor to investigate and determine what action is appropriate.
• Misconduct: Any action or conduct that is in violation of Escambia County Sheriff's Office Rules and Regulations.
• Officer: All law enforcement deputies appointed and commissioned by the Sheriff.
• Preliminary Investigation: An investigation of a complaint that alleges employee misconduct or wrongdoing, which has been received by a supervisor.
• Substantive Complaint: Allegations that, if sustained, are a major breach in agency policy/procedures which will be reduced to writing and forwarded through the chain of command for a determination on a course of action.

This quiz is about the Escambia County Sheriff's Office policy and procedure for addressing complaints concerning job performance and conduct of its members.